Burnley striker Lyle Foster scored in the 79th minute as South Africa defeated Angola 2-1 in Marrakesh, securing their first opening victory in an Africa Cup of Nations campaign in 21 years.
Since their win over Benin in 2004, Bafana Bafana had struggled in opening matches, recording two draws and four losses in subsequent editions.
The Group B clash unfolded in three phases. South Africa started strongly, with Oswin Appollis giving them the lead in the 21st minute before a modest crowd in the near-42,000-seat stadium. Angola dominated the remainder of the first half, equalising before halftime.
In the second half, South Africa regained control, and Foster’s late strike secured the win, giving the team maximum points to start their campaign.